Kyiv has seized the diplomatic initiative but Russia retains the advantage on the battlefield, having chewed through Ukrainian land.

With Ukraine signed up to US proposals for a 30-day ceasefire, the pressure is now on the Kremlin to decide whether it too will accept President Donald Trump’s plan to bring the Ukraine war to a halt,

Ukraine agreeing to an interim ceasefire along the sprawling 1,200 kilometre frontline Tuesday was hailed as a major step toward peace, but Russia has yet to respond to the U.S. proposal and reaching an agreement will be a challenge,